Her Sports + Fitness Magazine

Sun Scare

Here's one more reason to slather on the sunscreen before your next run. On July 10, the Washington Post reported one very startling statistic: A study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology reports that since 1980 there has been a 50 percent increase in new melanoma cases in young women ages 15 to 39. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute worry that these numbers could lead to even more cases in older women. The analysis further revealed that cases of melanoma in young women have gone from 5.5 cases per 100,000 per year in 1973 to 9.4 in 1980, and they continued to rise to 13.9 in 2004.

Interestingly, the rate has leveled off in young men during that same time period. Although no cause for the difference was identified, researchers speculate that in recent years women have increased tanning exposure (especially through indoor tanning beds) or that perhaps young women's propensity to use sunscreen more often than men may lead to more overall sun exposure.
      
Whatever the cause may be, one thing is certain: Melanoma is to be taken seriously. The American Cancer Society reports that in 2008 there will be 62,480 new cases of melanoma in this country. And about 8,420 people will die of this disease this year.
      
To learn more about how to protect your skin by choosing the right sunscreen, read Marisa Walker's article, "Sun Smarts," in the July/August issue of Her Sports + Fitness.--Jeana Durst

Summer Smoothies

After a hard workout or for an afternoon pick-me-up, I often crave a fruit-loaded smoothie. But smoothies sold at sandwich shops and even "healthy" chains can be surprisingly high in fat and calories. (Sally Squires of the Washington Post offers a rundown on some of the worst offenders in today's article "Think Before You Drink.") The best choice is to make your own.

Last year in Her Sports + Fitness, we published a guide on how to make healthy smoothies at home, written by nutritionist Matt Kadey. Since then, I've applied Kadey's advice in my own blender experiments, with delicious results. Here are a few of my favorite tips.

Use fruit, not ice. Ice waters down smoothies, while frozen fruit adds creaminess.  I blend together frozen bananas and strawberries with soy milk for a thick, creamy, eat-with-a-spoon treat.

Cut the calories. Use low-fat, good-for-you ingredients such as skim milk, low-fat yogurt, whole fruit and honey. Skip the ice cream, frozen yogurt, chocolate syrup  or sugar-loaded fruit concentrate.

Save the leftovers. Pour the remaining smoothie mix into a Popsicle tray and freeze for a refreshing summer dessert.

(For Kadey's complete article, including recipes, click here.)

—Kristin Harrison

 

U.S. Olympic Trials Begin in Swimming and Track and Field

The road to Beijing for many American athletes begins—or ends—this weekend. The U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field athletes start today in Eugene, Oregon. On Sunday, swimming trials begin in Omaha, Nebraska.
    Kara Goucher, who earned instant fame when she beat marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe at the Great North Half Marathon in England last year, is expected to speed past the competition in the 10,000-meter event tonight. (She ran 31:26.48 at a race in Portland earlier this month—25 seconds faster than the required Olympic qualifying time.)
    On Monday, American women compete in the steeplechase, a 2-mile running race that requires athletes to jump over 28 hurdles and seven water obstacles. This will be the first time women have been allowed to participate in this event in the Olympics. (Men have been competing in it for more than a century.)
    At the swimming trials, medal contender Katie Hoff will kick off her Olympic effort on Sunday with the 400-meter individual medley event. (2004 Olympic superstar Michael Phelps will compete in the same event that day.) Watch 3-time Olympian Amanda Beard try to earn another spot on the Olympic team on July 4th in the 200-meter breaststroke. (For an interview with Beard, pick up a copy of the July/August issue of Her Sports + Fitness.) On July 6, 41-year-old swimmer Dana Torres could make history in the 50-meter freestyle event. Already the winner of nine Olympic medals, Torres is out to best her own unusual record: to be the oldest woman to make the U.S. Olympic swim team, which she established at age 33 in 2000.
    Both Trials will be shown on the NBC and USA networks. Visit these USATF and the USA Swimming links for the TV schedule.

—Kristin Harrison

Flip-Flop Flop

                           
As a Floridian, I live in flip-flops, especially in these sweltering days of summer. But according to a new study by kinesiology researchers at Auburn University, for the benefit of my legs, I should reduce my time in flops and ditch my long-time favorites. AU scientist Justin Shroyer says, “We found that when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which can result in pain from the foot up into the hips and lower back." Turns out, the more hours you spend in flip-flops, the more prone you are to injury. And they need to be replaced just as often as running shoes—every three to four months. But don't despair, researchers aren't suggesting we give up sandals altogether. Just save them for the beach.

—Kristin Harrison

Sticking With It

Summer has announced its presence here in St. Petersburg, Florida and draped a thick blanket of humidity over everyone and everything, making it, well, grueling to run outdoors. It looks like my options are to embrace heat exhaustion, grow gills and live in the water, or move my workouts indoors for a while. For someone who loves to be outside, this can be tough. As I move my plan to the gym, it’s tempting to lose sight of my goals, so I’ve been thinking about what will help me stick to my plan. Here are some things that help me stay committed:

• Mix it up. Variety is the key for me. I’m combining interval runs, endurance runs, Pilates, stability ball workouts and strength training with activities like biking and hiking, so I’m not in the gym all the time.
• Get in and out of the gym fast. Let’s face it, after a day at work, anything over an hour is an eternity to spend in a gym. I’ve found that on days I want to strength train and run, it’s great to break it up and do strength training at lunch and cardio after work.
• Buy some new duds. It takes a lot to make me spend money, but investing in new clothes motivates me—plus, having the right tech gear is worth it. I’ve really enjoyed the Brooks EZ T ($28) (it looks like your favorite cotton T, but works like running shirt) and the versatility of my new Moving Comfort Endurance Skort ($36).
• Put it on paper. Since I want to minimize my time in the gym, I have to up the ante every time; otherwise I’m wasting my time. If I run intervals on the treadmill, I write down my speed and how long I can sustain them so I can try to go longer—or faster—next time. Plus, I make sure I’m exercising at 60 to 80 percent of my target heart rate. To find out how to calculate your target heart rate, visit active.com.
• Eat like it’s my job. Okay, admittedly, this is not tough for me. What I’ve found is that small low-calorie snacks spread throughout the day keep my energy levels up so I don’t miss a workout, but I never feel too full to exercise.

Even if you’re not living in a sauna, weather is bound to force you inside at some point. What are your techniques for sticking with your training plan when you exercise in the gym? What keeps you motivated? I’d love to hear from you.--Jeana Durst

A Few of My Favorite (Travel) Things

I just came back from a wonderful vacation in Italy full of gelato, pasta and (thankfully for my waist line) walking. Because my itinerary included lots of train, ferry and bus travel as well as short stays in quaint hotels located up many flights of stairs, I tried to pack as light as possible. I invested in a few new travel basics before I left, and they proved indispensable on my trip. Here are my road-tested favorites.

Designed to be shoved into the bottom of a backpack and surface wrinkle-free, the Ex Officio Savvy Skirt ($50) is lightweight and cute. It kept me cool while hiking in 90F weather and helped me fit in at restaurants in fashion-savvy Florence. Even better: I washed it in a hotel sink before bed and it was clean, dry and ready-to-wear the next morning.

When the hotel owner of our tiny Florence pensione warned us about the numerous pickpockets in the city, I was glad to be carrying a bag made by Pacsafe ($60), designed to be "theft-proof." With inventive features like a zipper that clips to the base of the shoulder strap and a slash-proof strap and body, I felt very comfortable jostling my way through the crowded streets. Plus, the stylish bag is big enough to hold a camera, notebook and wallet, and has plenty of pockets to keep everything organized.

I'm not usually a shoe person, but I fell madly in love with my pair of Ahnu Dolores ($80) slip-ons during this trip. They were more comfortable to walk in than my running shoes (and helped me look less like a tourist), and they even held up during an all-day mountainous hike. Beyond being extremely comfortable, these versatile shoes are a traveler's dream because they look great with a pair of capris or a sundress—eliminating the need to pack a pair of impractical, dressy shoes.

And my must-have essential for international or adventure trips: Dove Cleansing Cloths. I leave my expensive face wash at home and just take these lightweight cloths. Plus, if you're a carry-on luggage gal like me, you don't have to include them in your TSA-friendly Ziploc-bag full of liquids, buying more space for vitals like sunscreen. Once wet, each cloth provides more than enough soapy, clean-smelling lather to wash your face, and you simply throw it away when done. Buy 5-cloth travel packs at Target for about $1.50.

—Kristin Harrison   

Don't Turn Back the Clock

A recent article published in The New York Times Magazine has been stirring up a lot of controversy about girls’ participation in sports. In “The Uneven Playing Field” author Michael Sokolove highlights the frequency of ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries of girls, particularly in the sport of soccer. He traces the narrative of one particularly competitive Florida soccer player who has already endured two ACL operations and is driven to push herself harder despite previous injury. But this story has a subtext.

I was quite disturbed by how subtle the agenda of the article was. At one point the author explains the anecdotal increases in ACL injuries by saying, “It is part of a national trend in the wake of Title IX and the explosion of sports participation among girls and young women.” His lack of scientific evidence and reliance on hyperbole is troublesome. He even admits that “comprehensive statistics on total sports injuries are in short supply… for younger athletes, the numbers are less specific and less reliable.” The bias is further evidenced in the headline, which reads: “Everyone Wants Girls to Have As Many Opportunities in Sports as Boys. But Can We Live With the Greater Rate of Injuries They Suffer?” To suggest that young women need protection from their own choice to pursue athletics, quite simply, smacks of paternalism. And it’s even worse that it’s cloaked in concern.

I would never object to a story that sheds light on a problem for female athletes, and I do believe that there are physiological differences that affect women’s bodies and performance in sports—in both negative and positive ways. In fact, I believe we probably need to do more research in that area. That’s fine, let’s have that discussion and teach our girls how to be healthy and strong—and ultimately better athletes.

Here’s what I propose: Let’s counsel girls and their families about the risks and put more focus on injury prevention. Programs are already being developed to help girls strength train to prevent injury, such as the PEP program, develop by researchers in Santa Monica. This seems reasonable, unlike implying that women should refrain from sports solely because they might get hurt.

The New York Times Magazine has published this as a preview of a longer article due out in June. They have a choice to make: continue to let Sokolove make gigantic logical leaps or have a well-rounded discourse that includes a discussion of the benefits that sports offers girls. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation these include: A reduced risk of diabetes, depression, obesity, anxiety, low self-esteem, heart disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis.

How have sports impacted your life? What are your thoughts on this controversy? –Jeana Durst

Healthy Snack Attack

I’m usually pretty good about packing snacks for work, but
lately I’ve been very busy (or very lazy), and haven’t made it to the store to stock up on nutritious munchies.

Then, I got a bag of the SnackTrition Sea Salt Cashews touting that they were “healthy baked with fiber.” I was suspicious: Don’t cashews naturally have fiber?

They do, according to USDA, but SnackTrition cashews pack three times the punch of dietary fiber.

And that healthy-baked idea sounded a lot blander than my usual dry-roast mix, but it turns out that the dusting of sea salt is so flavorful, you don’t miss the extra 80 calories per serving. If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up during the day, these beat most any vending machine fare.

Scrapes under Cover

In the interest of testing products, I crashed into the pavement during a recent run so I could test some Nexcare Abrasion Covers (at least, that’s my story). I had a race coming up, and the throbbing gash on my knee and scrapes on my hands weren’t going to improve my time, so I dipped into a multi-size pack.

The covers claim to be water- and sweat-proof and to last for up to seven days, but after about two days, the patch on my knee had to be replaced. The covers on my hands fared better, though, and really saved me as I punched away on the keyboard at work.

However, the real test was during my 15k, and I must say that these covers were lifesavers for my knee. The Cover was ultra thin and flexed with any movement without losing its grip. And I never had to worry about sweat or dirt getting into my wounds -- in fact, I felt like hadn’t injured my knee at all, from start to sweaty, exhausted finish.

-- Tiffany Wendeln Connors

Mudslingers Conquer Muddy Buddy Orlando

On Friday night we headed to Orlando and did some last minute costume-crafting for our Muddy Buddy race the next morning. Team Mudslingers did something that our normal journalistic-selves wouldn’t be caught dead doing—we bought every trashy National Enquirer-type publication we could get our hands on. Then we cut out choice headlines and pictures to cover our race shirts and bike helmets. Think “Hillary Kidnapped by Aliens.”
    The next morning at Disney’s Wide World of Sports we found a big crowd of people (2,500 participants) with costumes much more outrageous than ours—there were Elvis sightings and orange-cone-headed girls dressed as traffic cops, complete with mustaches. It felt more like a carnival than a race.
     The total off-road course measured 6 to 7 miles, and as we moved up toward the start line, the first men’s waves began finishing and we started to hear course reports. “It’s easy! There’s no sand on the trail,” one racer reported (and lied, as we discovered later). And the comment that struck fear in Jeana’s heart, “ there’s a huge brown thing floating in the mud pit!”
    Finally, our wave reached the start and we split up as we would for the rest of the race, alternating running and biking and trading off the bike after each of the four obstacles. Jeana stayed up front ready to bike, while Kristin headed to the back of the wave with the rest of the runners. Here’s what each of us experienced.

LEG ONE
JD: I pedaled furiously into the unknown with unbridled enthusiasm, completely caught up in the race-start excitement.

KH: The first leg of the run reminded me of my high school cross country running days, looping around a big grass field and along drainage ditches. I passed a cyclist whose bike pedal had fallen off and thought, “thank goodness that’s not Jeana!” I was so excited to finally be running that I reached the first obstacle—a climbing wall—in what felt like just a few minutes.

LEG TWO
JD: After dropping the bike in the transition zone, I ran for what felt like forever. My after-bike spaghetti legs were barely doing the job, and it donned on me that I may have pushed a little too hard on the first bike leg. It didn’t help that I had to make a detour to the restroom. Note to self: Save the water chugging until after the race.

KH: I grabbed our mountain bike, marked with a bright orange bandana we tied around the handlebar, and took off, zipping around the runners. But my speed was short-lived: very quickly I hit thick sand and dirt and had to use a “Granny Gear” to keep the bike moving forward.

JD: Kristin passed by me on the bike and shouted, “Go Mudslingers!” My first instinct was to respond, “I hate you for making me do this,” but instead I gave a half-hearted wave.

KH: By the time I reached the second obstacle, I was out of breath and sweating. I hauled myself up the cargo net and then got to relive my elementary school days by flying down the inflatable slide.